Stranded
by audsome
Summary: Years into the peace of the Meiji era Yahiko found happiness with Tsubame. However the pain from losing someone so precious brings many changes causing him to rethink the teachings of KamiyaKasshin Ryu. 03.30.07 Prologue and Chapter One edited
1. Prologue

Authors Notes: 03/30/07 I have decided to expound upon the prologue to make it a little more interesting and not so boring. And because I had originally made it a one shot and as an afterthought continued so the original does not suffice any longer. I like this story line more than any other that I have written so far because of the many possibilities that I can take in developing Yahiko's character, which I will try to do justice throughout this fanfic. The other chapters are a little longer than this one and I might be editing them also. So read, enjoy or don't (but I hope you do!), and review!

**Stranded**

**Prologue **

The bright light filtering in through the window woke Yahiko. He stretched out his arms to his side in search of his first and only love: Tsubame. She had her mouth half open and a little glisten of drool played with the sunlight on her red lips. He gently pushed aside a few stray strands of hair from her face, stealing a quiet moment to watch her sleep before he had to get up. Sighing, he tried to quietly heave himself out of bed but the moment he rustled the covers Tsubame awoke. The covers dropped off Tsubame as she sat up next to Yahiko.

"Hi, Hun. Did you have a good night?" Yahiko answered her with a warm kiss. "Hmm… I'll go get the kids ready, ok. And you make sure everything is locked up. Breakfast will be ready soon, too."

"Are you sure you don't want any help getting them ready?" He said, ending by giving her one more kiss.

A little giggle and an exasperated sigh stopped the kissing short of what Yahiko had wanted. "They aren't _that_ terrible and besides I'd have a harder time if I had to come home to a house with a smashed up flower garden. You know how I love those flowers!"

"Yeah, I know," Yahiko retorted playfully. "If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you love that garden more than_ me_. I even have proof that you spend more time in it than with me!"

"Oh! Don't be so silly," Tsubame chided, "I couldn't even begin to compare you to my lush, lovely, beautiful garden." Tsubame fastened her rob belt and then tied her hair back. "Besides, it's time we finished last minute details before we go. Come on and get up, you lazy lump!"

Yahiko feigned indignation but it was these little moments alone together that he truly cherished and adored. "Maybe I can help you with breakfast."

A raised eyebrow met the statement so that before she could speak Yahiko consented. He touched his knuckles to forehead in a mock salute. "Yes, Ma'am! I live so serve and serve to live. But seriously, Tsubame, are you sure you don't want my help?"

"Yes, yes. Just go before I make you clean the whole dojo before we leave!" Tsubame threatened coyly.

"I love you," Yahiko yelled as he started running outside. He wanted her to know that every minute of every day she made him feel so good and warm inside that he didn't want to think of anything else. Taking her instruction, he left her in the room to check the outside gates and walls for any weakness in the walls and locks but knew just the same that they could not stop the right people if they wanted in. He remembered the huge, flame spitting man and the other who tried to poison Megumi. The wall was never the same again, it always smelt singed to him and the new part of the wall always looked menacing even if he never would admit it. He sighed as glimpses of his youth came streaking before his eyes. He walked slowly near the perimeter of the Kamiya dojo in deep thought. He remembered the task at hand just as he came upon the shrine that Kaoru had made for Kenshin, the one memorial of the greatest sword master and the only thing in the dojo he could never have the heart to remove.

The sakabatou that Kenji had returned after finally understanding the significance of his father's choices had been placed on top as the star piece. There were butts of incense candles that had burned all night and all day just for Kenshin. More were added for the commemoration of Kaoru upon her death. The deaths of the two most beloved people in his life had caused Yahiko to question the very existence of emotions, such as hatred and love, which had helped fuel wars and violence. Those things were the very downfall of Kenshin. Yahiko paused, taking a moment to take in his surroundings and to simply let the tension drain away.

Yahiko knelt in front of the shrine, wanting to say something to Kenshin and to let him know more about his family. But Yahiko's mouth quickly dried, and he could not thing of any way to voice the millions of ideas and instances of joy he has had.

"Kenshin…" He began, "ever since you came into my life I watched your every faultless movement with the sword and never once thought that I could aspire to be the swordsman that you were." Yahiko scrutinized the reverse-blade as if it held a response and then continued after a brief silence. "But recently I have come to understand the man who you tried to be… not the Hitokiri, a father. I regret not wanting to know more than your techniques, more than how to be strong… because you were such a kind man. I don't know how it is you managed to raise and love Kenji," a laugh escaped his lips as he thought of countless times he had tried to suppress his own children's primal instinct for trouble. "Every day I try to extend that grace and compassion you had for him and Kaoru to my own family."

The old flowers that Tsubame had caringly arranged around the sakabatou gleamed even after drying and falling apart with a spark that Yahiko recognized. "You knew from the start that I had fallen deeply for Tsubame and didn't push me to make a move. I respect you deeply for that. And she respected my risky behavior just like Kaoru did for you." And now, we have two wonderful, _wonderful,_ children. Yoko, my darling girl and Hideyo, my little man… How they've grown!"

The laughter from inside, somewhere near the kitchen, drew Yahiko from his reverie to remind him of their big day. He desired to share everything with Kenshin but between his two kids' laughter and hearing Tsubame call him for breakfast he decided to keep things brief. "We are going to visit Misao and Aoshi today. We are going on the locomotive, and it will be Yoko and Hideyo's first ride on a train! Wish us luck, Tsubame and I will have our hands full getting them to the train station."

Yahiko stood up, brushing off the knees of his hakama. Relief coursed through his body, those thoughts had been brooding inside of him for some time now so he was glad to speak them.

He jogged over to the kitchen where he saw his beautiful children and wife waiting for him to dig in. Hideyo had one little paw on the spoon for rice porridge. Yoko lamented, "Come on Dad! We've been waiting for _ever! _And we are starving."

Author Notes: 03/30/07 I have edited a little of this chapter. Nothing much has changed, I just had to keep it in order with the prologue's changes. So I hope you enjoy.


	2. Ch 1

Author Notes: 03/30/07 I have edited a little of this chapter. Nothing much has changed, I just had to keep it in order with the prologue's changes. So I hope you enjoy. **  
**

**Chapter 1**

After breakfast Yahiko took one more quick sweep of the perimeter of their home and the dojo, checking off a mental checklist of things that were done and places where certain items should were in retrospect to where they ought to be. He came to the conclusion that having a bucket inside the bathhouse instead of the storage shed would not ruin their vacation plans. Nodding with satisfaction he headed back to his family.

"Tsubame," Yahiko said to announce his presence. He walked over to his wife of eight years and gave her a huge for strength. Tsubame would have to make sure the kids were comfortable, and make sure that they would behave. He was going to sit elsewhere so he couldn't help her with them. He found out that an old friend was also going to Kyoto. Yahiko wanted to talk to him so he was going to sit with him for the train ride there. His friend is unfortunately sitting in a different section of the train.

Yahiko picked up their luggage and headed to the train station in the afternoon sun, his family following behind him. His children, Hideyo at five and Yoko at seven, where running around impatient to have a new adventure. Tsubame was walking beside him.

They reached the train station just as the train came in. It roared its mechanical roar, blasted smoke from its smoke hole. There were people already there and some arriving. The train station was a busy place to be, with people running and yelling all over the place.

"Mommy!" Screeched Yoko as she saw the big train that would carry them to Kyoto. "It's so big." Her round little eyes became big saucer cups as she looked at it with wonder and amusement. Hideyo's reaction was different than his sister's. When Hideyo saw the big monstrosity he became afraid. The train was so much bigger than he was, so much louder than him that it must be a demon. He ran over to his mother and huddled behind her kimono, pulling the folds over his face.

"Come on Hideyo-chan," Tsubame said warmly, "it can't bite you." She picked him up from where he was hiding. She wanted him to see the 'beast' for what it was. Nothing. "Look Hideyo-chan," she gently commanded him. She held him up high above the jostle of the crowds for him to get a better look at it. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"No Mommy! No!" Hideyo cried from his perch on her arms. Tsubame lowered him to her chest and hugged him tightly to calm him.

The whistle for the last boarding call sounded. There was a rush in the throng of people as the workers hustled to their stations and the passengers hurried to the train. "Let's go Tsubame, the train won't stay much longer," Yahiko said from her side. "Come on Yoko! Race me to the train!" He shouted above the noise, invoking on the playfulness of his daughter to get them to the train faster.

"Can I Mommy?"

"Yes you can Yoko, but don't run into any one. Watch where you're going." Before she finished Yoko had already started running.

Yoko ran ahead of her father who was weighed down with their luggage. She stopped at a door, unsure if it was the right one or if her father was behind her. "Come on Daddy! Let's go!" She couldn't help the big smile that graced her lips as she looked at the train.

"I'm coming Yoko-chan!" Yahiko struggled with the luggage and trying to run, but he made it safely to the train. He stopped at the door with Yoko to wait for Tsubame and Hideyo. They reached the train just as the impatient Yoko climbed aboard. With help from a worker Yahiko pulled their entire luggage on the train. The train was crowded but they luckily reserved seats for their family, except Yahiko, to sit together. Yahiko stored their luggage and waited for them to sit in their seats.

"Be good for your mom, okay?" Yahiko asked of Yoko and Hideyo, looking a little hurt.

"Aw, we will Daddy! We promise," they echoed together.

Yahiko hugged and gave a quick kiss to Tsubame before he left. Tsubame watched him leave until his back was hidden behind other passengers. Then her attention turned back to her kids. They were talking and playing just like normal, maybe Hideyo didn't mind the train so much now that they were inside and nothing terrible had happened.

Once every one had settled into their seats a train conductor stood in the front, "we are leaving now. Everyone ready? And make sure you stay in your seats at all times." He left to go talk to the rest of the sections to relay the same message.

There was a lot of noise, people talking and moving around, but Tsubame just wanted to sit back and relax. Yoko and Hideyo were laughing and having fun until the train started to make some weird noises. People around them became silent too as they listened to the train. There was a couple of jerking movements and then the train was moving. It was still jerking around but it was moving forward.

Hideyo was wide eyed, looking everywhere for the source of the noise. Then he looked outside the window. Outside the earth, trees, everything was whizzing by. They were going faster than a horse could run. They couldn't see one thing clearly; it was all a colorful blur.

"Mommy, look!" Shouted Yoko as she too saw the outside world slide by.

Tsubame looked out the window but quickly wished she hadn't. It made her dizzy, and the jerking of the train helped very little. She just sat back in her seat, making herself as comfortable as she could.

"What do you think that is?" Yoko asked her younger brother as they saw a mesh of blues, reds, and yellows pass by the window. Hideyo just shrugged and looked out the window.

Hideyo grew tired of their game after half an hour of wrong guesses. He settled down and leaned back into his sit and soon fell asleep. Yoko didn't want to play their game alone so she sat back in her seat and looked around. There weren't any other kids on the train. The other passengers were old. Soon she fell asleep. Tsubame was also sleeping.

Shouting. Yelling. What's going on?

Tsubame was shaken awake.

"Mommy!" Shouted Yoko. "Wake up!"

Slowly Tsubame opened her heavy eyes to look up into her daughter's damp ones. Behind Yoko was Hideyo, a look of panic and confusion painted across his small face. They moved to the side to let her sit up. All around them there was shouting. People were getting out of their seats. Why? The train was stopped but it's too dark to see if they had reached the Kyoto station.

"What Happened?" Tsubame asked.

Yoko and Hideyo shook their heads. "It was like this when we woke up, Mommy," Yoko explained.

A group of men were running around, shoving whoever got in their way. "Barr the doors!" One of the men shouted. They turned to the door and walked up to it. The door that the men were heading to was behind Tsubame's seat.

Before they reached the door it burst open causing screams from startled people. Tsubame bragged her children and hugged them to herself. Dark figures came into the train from the broken door into the light. The first man to be seen pulled a gun from inside of his coat. Aimed at the first shaken man and fired. It hit him dead on, right between his eyes. Blood squirted out of the hole that was blasted in his head. He went cross-eyed. Then fell limply to the floor.

"Ah!"

Panic ensued after that. The men fired randomly, killing whoever was in their way.

Tsubame covered Yoko and Hideyo's bodies with her own and threw herself on the floor. She lay there, protecting her children's lives. Someone stepped on her but she didn't mind as long as they thought she was dead. The dead weren't worth a bullet. There was a loud thud to her right. Some one had fallen down. She looked over to the person. The body was torn and bloody. Some one had stabbed the woman in her stomach, and then yanked upwards. There was a bloody gash with organs spilling out of it.

The smell of blood was thick in the air.

Tsubame was too frightened to scream out. She turned her head away from the dead woman. "Keep your eyes closed, don't open them."

"Okay Mommy," Yoko and Hideyo whispered back.

Most of the noise died down. There was still the murmur of voices but not he confusion that was earlier. Slowly Tsubame looked around them. The seat's cushions were ripped open, the stuffing covered in blood. Bodies strewn across the floors, piled on each other. There where three men huddled together talking, their voices carried over to her but not their words. They didn't look like the men that had attacked the train earlier.

Tsubame slowly and quietly stood up. Good, the men hadn't noticed her yet. "Stay still," she commanded her children. Yoko and Hideyo moved a little to watch their mother confront the men. Tsubame was nervous about calling attention to herself after what just happened but these men looked confused about what just happened. "Excuse me Sirs, but-"

Everything went in slow motion for Yoko and Hideyo as the men turned around. The men looked dangerously at Tsubame, stopping her words in her throat. The man closest to her reached into his coat and pulled out a gun. He aimed at her. Yoko wanted to scream but was paralyzed by her fear. Fired. His aim wasn't as true as the first man's was. It hit Tsubame in her arm, throwing her back a step. Blood squirted out from the impact.

Tsubame staggered into the wall.

"Kill her!" Shouted one of the men. Yoko didn't know who said it, when her mother got shot she buried her head into Hideyo's solder and clamped her cold hands over her his eyes.

Another shot rang out. A painful scream escaped Tsubame's bloody lips.

Yoko could feel her brother silent tears from under her hand.

"Let's get out of here now! We got what we came for now let's go!"

"Okay, we can go now," replied another man. Authority rang clearly in his voice.

Loud footsteps echoed in their ears a door banged open, then slammed shut.

The men are gone.

Yoko uncovered her brother's mouth. "Hideyo... Please! Hideyo!"

"Huh, Yoko?" His lip quivered with the difficulty of not screaming out.

"Stay here, I'm going to see Mommy," she whispered in his ear.

Hideyo didn't want to be left alone. _Isn't that what__ Mommy said before she got up? Before she screamed?_

"No!" He reached out and grabbed his sister's arms. "Don't leave me!"

Yoko wasn't as brave as she tried to be. She broke down. She sat down her brother sitting up too and hugged him. They didn't have to move. Mommy would come to them.

It was getting late. Yahiko had promised Tsubame that he would come by before the kids and her fall asleep. He had better go now because they were on opposite ends of the train. "Yotaro-san, I'm going to go check up on my wife. I'll be back shortly."

"Okay, I'll wait here for you," he replied.

"Like you have anywhere else to go!" Yahiko teased jovially.

Yahiko started walking up the train to the section that held his beautiful wife. He looked out some of the windows as he passed by them. The sun had already set so it there wasn't anything to see but it helped steady him. As he walked he held onto the corners of the seats. Then all of a sudden the train started screeching, and it jerked about almost causing Yahiko to lose his balance. It screeched to a halt tossing lose belongs forward. Yahiko tightened his grip on the chairs so he would not fly forward.

When the train finally stopped it was a mess. There are boxes all over the place, people's food crumpled all over the place.

"What's going on?" Shouted a bewildered lady.

After that panic ensued. People were running all over the place trying to find some one that could answer all their questions. People were shoving past anyone that was in their way. Woman screaming and men shouting added to the confusion.

Then the door was blown inward, pieces of it slamming into nearby people knocking them unconscious. One piece of the door lodged itself into a man's head, most likely it killed him instantly. Yahiko felt the dirty aurora of men meaning to murder tonight long before the men boarded the train. As the first man pulled out a gun from inside his coat Yahiko ducked down just in time as the bullet went through the air where his head was.

Someone jumped up and attacked the first guy. While they were fighting some more men ran over and attacked the other men before they know what had happened. Yahiko was looking for a something to use as a weapon when the first guy's gun misfired. It hit the roof of the train; big pieces of it fell on top of Yahiko. He fell to the ground unconscious. Debris and dust flew everywhere, obscuring everyone's vision. The fighting turned into a mad house. People attacking everyone and anyone they were in arms reach of.

Slowly Yahiko regained consciousness. Somehow the pieces of the rood had rolled off of him. He crawled onto his side. His eyes were a bit fuzzy still but soon that would go away. When his eyes cleared he wished they hadn't. He saw a headless body in a pool of blood and when he looked to his other side there was more body mutilation. Then, something clicked inside Yahiko's still muffled brain.

_If this happened here it must have happened near Tsubame! Oh Kami-sama! Let them be all right!_

Yahiko pulled himself to his feet. It was a little painful. Something cold, wet, sticky started to slide down his face. His hand flew to his hair where it met a gash. Blood. And Pain. He staggered to the side as a wave of nausea kicked in. He fell to the floor. Unconscious again.

After a few minutes he awoke again. Severally tired, and annoyed that he had passed out. He had suffered more damage before. Besides that he has to go find Tsubame, Yoko and Hideyo. Make sure that they are all right. That's his duty as a father.

Yahiko stood up now, with all his will, hoping that he could make it to them. There were several moans that he didn't have to stop and look for. That could be Tsubame or Yoko or Hideyo they're moaning and he would be there to help them. It was hard for him to pass by with helping them. All of the years watching Kenshin help everyone nagging at him that he should that he had enough energy to stop and help them. But the truth was different. He wasn't strong enough, his energy could falter at any minute.

He's hearing and sight became blurry again. He couldn't hear any more moans. He could barely see the limbs he was stepping on. Is that voices he's hearing or just the wind.

There's a firm hand on his solder. There's a soft voice telling him to lie down. A tempting offer but he would not lie around while his wife or his children could be in danger.

A tempting offer.

"I.. I... I must... must find... my wife... ki... kids... they...they... find," he slid slowly down to the floor too weak to do anything else.

"No sir. You shouldn't be walking with a wound like that on your head. Just lie down. I'm sure that your Wife and kids are just fine." The soft voice whispered to him. Slowly pushing him to lie down. "I'm a doctor. I'm going to help you but you need to lie down for me to do so."

"No!" Yahiko pushed out. He would not rest until he knew they were safe. "I'll, re... rest when... I... see... the... hem... safe... Please!" He crawled away from the doctor. He moved on, slowly but he moved.

"Okay," the doctor gave in. "Some people are naturally stubborn and I think that your one of them. Seto! Seto come here and help me carry this guy!"

When Seto got to them, the doctor leaned down and put Yahiko's arm around his solder. Seto did the same and together they gently lifted Yahiko up.

"Tell me sir, where are you wife and kids?"

Yahiko couldn't force his mouth to obey him any more. He pointed ahead. Seto and the Doctor carefully walked forward. The doctor examining Yahiko's body for any more hidden wounds. When he was satisfied with seeing no more than a cuts and scraps he focused on getting Yahiko to a more secure location. A secure location would be in the front of the train, which is where he wanted to go anyway.

When they got there the place was already full of the wounded. Most of them either dead or dying.

There was a child's scream to his right, but he paid no mind to it.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Screamed a little girl with a younger boy in tow. They ran in front of him to the man he was carrying. "What's wrong with my Daddy?" She screamed frantically.

"One thing less to do," the weary doctor whispered, sighing with relief. "This is your father?"

"Yes sir," whispered the girl, a little more subdued now that her father wasn't going anywhere.

Yahiko stirred a little at the sound of Yoko's voice.

"Tell me, where is your mother?"

"Tsubame..." Yahiko whispered longingly.

"Mommy is over here. But she isn't moving and when we call her name she doesn't answer," Yoko explained. She clutched her Hideyo's little hand, motioned for the doctor to follow her and lead them to her.

Seto, Yahiko and the doctor had to go around the people that where alive. Yoko and Hideyo just walked over the people that didn't respond to their little feet.

"Here is Mommy," Yoko told the doctor. "Mommy, a Daddy is here. Mommy!" She shook her mother's bloody arm but she got nothing.

Yahiko opened his eyes and fixed them on Yoko. "Yoko, you're alright. Where is Hideyo?"

Hideyo rushed over to his father. He squeezed his father's leg between his small arms. "Daddy! Mommy is asleep, isn't she?" He looked with tear stained eyes at his father, begging to tell him that his mother is only sleeping.

"Tsubame..."

His eyes moved past his son, now noticing the dried blood that covered his sweet little face, past Yoko's to his beloved's bloody body. Yahiko cried out. He tore out of the prison that held him from Tsubame. He stumbled over to her limp form. He collapsed next to her. He reached out his still warm hand over to her face. Cold. Her face. Cold. Her neck. Cold. He leaned over to put his head over her heart. No beat. Nothing. His face smeared in her dried blood. She was shot in her chest. He moved his hands over to her arm. More dried blood. Cold. Soo cold.

Tears of realization streamed down Yahiko's face. "No. No! Tsubame! Don't leave me! Come back to me!" He clenched his fist. Then it unclenched by itself. Drained of all his energy, Yahiko fell limp over the dead body under him. He fell to the cries of his children.


	3. Ch 2

**Chapter 2**

In a sick bed, among many other sick beds, was an unconscious Myojin Yahiko who lay almost tranquilly, his breathing stabilized sometime when the night turned to the gray pre-dawn morning. Nurses shuffled by stopping here and there when a groan and moan turned into a barely audible plea.

The sliding of the rice paper door let in a Doctor, but not one that belonged to the town, Doctor Kotuku Genjo, the doctor that had been on the train and had taken care until more help could arrive. He had been working all night unable to rest until everyone was helped and even then the rest he had taken for himself had been sparse and far in-between, his nurse, Nurse Ryusaki had been hard pressed keeping up with him. His nurse, who lived in the village, wasn't used to his persistence and the ways of his practice.

The pair made their way over the swordsman, Doctor Kotuku had taken a liking to Yahiko's spirit and will to live that he had stayed up most of the night for him alone. They carried their tools to Yahiko's beside then put them down, Kotuku examined him, Ryusaki patiently waiting by his side.

The Doctors bushy dark brows knitted together, his mouth moving in as endless torrent of soundless words, meaningless to all but him. Nurse Ryusaki was in an impeccable kimono despite her diligence to the work she was doing. Her black hair was done up in a simple bun on top of her wrinkled forehead.

"The concussion on his forehead will heal in time if he lets it. No serious damage occurred so that will help too. He should eat but I don't want to be the one to wake him up," Kotuku-sensei noted to the nurse as they stood over Yahiko. "I think it's be best if we just let him wake up on his own." Almost as an after thought, "Ryusaki-san, where are his children?"

"Yoko and Hideyo, Sir? They're playing outside," the nurse answered. "They asked to see him again. They asked to see their mother." The doctor paused in his ministrations to look into the face of Yahiko, a stressed and painful glimmer to his eyes.

"I think they don't fully understand that their mother has passed away. Best to leave that one to their father. Oh, and I checked them last night, they only have minor cuts that are already dealt with so I gave them permission to play outside today."

"With the children of the village?" His old hands glided over Yahiko in his same practiced ease.

"Yes," She looked over her nose at the doctor, "it really will be hard for them." Doctor Kotuku nodded sadly in agreement. "I just wish there is something more for these people that we could do..."

"Pray to Buddha that they find peace and enlightenment." He said it as though he had said it often enough that it was a ritual.

The doctor and nurse left Yahiko's side and moved on to another patient who didn't seem to be breathing. They whispered about him for a minute. The nurse put a red tag on his foot and then continued on down the lists of patients that had drastically accumulated over the night after what had happened last night, but it had also drastically dropped due to either the death of the patient or moving him.

Afterwards some of the able-bodied men had searched to see if they where near a town or a village, they found a good sized town with a hospital. The roused the townsfolk up and asked for their help, a couple dozen men came then to help move bodies and people away from the train into the hospital. More had come the following morning and where given the task of identifying the dead bodies. The authorities came sometime after most of the mess had cleared and took control of it. They had telegraphed Tokyo and told them what had happened.

Outside under an old, but still beautiful tree, played Yoko and Hideyo with children that lived in the town where their train had been boarded by bandits. A soft whisper of wind blew along the paper ball that they played with. When the wind and the children tossed the ball high enough that the sun would shine through the ball making the colors dance on the laughing children's faces. They played near the clinic where the train victims were being treated, that was where the children found the lonely Myojins.

Yoko watched as the paper ball was blown up high above her head, she twisted around underneath it jumping up to bounce the ball along to another playful hand. When she jumped she missed the ball by a hair. Luckily, she thought, there was some one nearby so that it did not touch the ground. The ball was thrown again into the air away from her to others that continued the count.

The ball was going away from where she had stationed herself beneath the tree so she chanced a minute to take a breath. She plopped down on the earth, her eyes on the ball. Her brother hadn't done as she had. He chose to follow closely behind the ball. She smiled as Hideyo hit the ball back into the air.

"Konnichi wa," a girl about Yoko's own age shyly stuttered looking at her toes when Yoko looked to her. Her light brown eyes fluttered back to Yoko after a moment. Her hair was a dark brown, Yoko noticed, almost as dark as the bug she had seen earlier that day, The bug had gotten squashed by the ball the only time it had fallen on the ground. "I was wondering, well, what's your name? Mine is Azami."

Yoko smiled widely as she answered, happy to be making a friend, "My name is Yoko, and that over there, "she pointed out her wild little brother, "is my little brother, Hideyo-chan."

Azami sat down next to her, frowning up at the sky until the slurred sound of sandals against the gravel caused the children to look up from their play. All but Yoko and Hideyo recognized the newcomer, rushing over to her to through their tiny frames on her in hugs.

"Kikuyu! Kikuyu!" The high-pitched squeals of them rang out. They almost toppled the woman over but they brought themselves back in time. "Have you come to play with us? Have you"

She smiled at them, ruffled a few of their hairs, "no, I'm sorry," she answered their pleadings. She looked sincere. Her dark black hair was pulled back in a bun that was decorated with two glass cranes. Her face was flawless, adding to her gentle and trusting aura.

She walked over to Yahiko's children bending down with her hands on her knees and smiled, "hello, my name is Kikuyu. Are you two all right?"

Hideyo scurried behind his older sister, shy of the beautiful woman. Yoko looked as if she too wanted to hide behind another, but she held her ground. "We are all right ma'am, but we were wondering if we could see our Dad." Her eyes were plastered to the floor where the paper ball had fallen forgotten.

"Sure! You can see Myojin-san!" Kikuyu held out her hand along with a warm kindness.

Yoko's eyes light up with happiness. They had told her that Hideyo and her could not see their dad until he woke up. "Thank you!" She reached out, letting Kikuyu take her small hand. She took her brother's hand in hers so he would not get left out. "Let's go!" She jumped forward, pulling with her Kikuyu and Hideyo who stumbled at the sudden movement.

Yoko paused to look at Azami who was still sitting down but now looked lonelier. Yoko smiled briefly, "We'll return and play some more. Okay?"

Azami looked to Kikuyu, and then to Hideyo, she nodded her head when her eyes met back with Yoko's. "I'll wait here for you Yoko! I promise!"

Yoko nodded in agreement to the promise that she would return she was happy for the split second she did not have to worry for her mother or father or for her little brother.

Inside the clinic Yoko wasn't as spirited as she was outside, she walked meekly behind Kikuyu who lead the way and in front of Hideyo who had become, if at all possible, more hesitant as they got closer to their father. Yoko would squeeze her little brother's hand every time they passed someone that wasn't moving or groaning. Just like their Mommy. They weren't allowed to see her yet. Not until they saw Daddy, and not until he saw her first.

Kikuyu slowed down, Yoko matched her pass to the older woman's. When they stopped altogether she peered past Kikuyu's shoulder to see her father in a bed like all the other sick people. Her eyes widened, taking in all of the bandages wrapped around him, his nose pocking above the wrappings on his face.

Before Yoko could move to her father, Hideyo beat her to him flinging his small body onto his father. "Daddy! Daddy wake up!"

"No don't!" Kikuyu yelled, she rushed forward and pulled the boy of his sleeping father. Hideyo didn't put up much of a fight as she knelt down to look him in his eyes. She calmly spoke to him, "Hideyo, your father needs his rest. Please, do not try to wake him." She talked as though he would not understand, he shook his head yes and looked to the ground.

Yoko slid past the quietly, walking to her father's side. She looked upon him with saddened eyes remembering the all too silent people they had walked by. A small hand rested on his bandaged head, caressing down the curves the thick bandages left evident. She closed her eyes against the pain that threatened to dampen her rosy cheeks. "Daddy, wake up soon. 'Kay?"

The room seemed to get smaller and colder at the same time. Miss Kikuyu hugged Hideyo to pick him up, then shuffled over to the little figure that also needed comforting. They embraced, a stranger among them to bring them together.

Kikuyu pulled apart after the snuffling had gone down, patting her own eyes with a blue and yellow-stripped handkerchief. "I believe you two want some time alone. I'll come back soon, and then we can go play outside. How is that?"

The two of them looked at her and saw her cheerful smile, which seemed to make everything better, then cheered up. "Okay!" Yoko and Hideyo ran to opposite side of their father, she to his right, he to his left, picking up his dangling hands into their own.

A shiver sent a violent pounding to his head that only worsened the chill that permeated through his inner self. Yahiko shifted where he lay, something not quite right with the world. He stretched his hand out to his left where something usually was, but nothing was there. There was not warm spot to indicate resent removal of the missing item; he shifted again in the blankets letting in some of the cold that was not cause of his chill. His scraggly hair lay all over his face as he attempted to look around; he pulled his hand up and smoothed back the hair that fell over his eyes. As his hand roomed over his face he felt bandages, felt as though they were restraining his from moving around and from seeing. He tore them off, revealing on the side of the bandage covering his face a salve that had a relaxing, and calming affect that lulled to him.

One thing cut deep into his groggy mind: _this is not home._

He tried moving but his head started swimming, again, and his vision became spotted. His weak and weary muscles collapsed at the weight he put atop them. Yahiko fell back on top of the foreign bed, in the foreign room. He fought to keep his breathing under control, his fear tacking leaps and bounds as his thoughts turned to darker murmurings. He could hear other people around his, others that seemed to be in the same predicament as he himself was in.

An image came to him. Of a train, and an old friend. But he couldn't place it with anything. Nothing made sense and nothing seemed to be going to make any sense any time soon. Yahiko shook his head to clear it, trying to think on more pressing matters than a false memory.

An immobile man occupied the futon to the side of him with bandaging around his left arm that had a red blotch in the middle. A sick feeling settled in Yahiko's gut, he pressed a hand over his mouth and the other one over his stomach to keep himself together.

Yahiko picked up on a male voice across the room from where he lay, not being able to tell if its hostile or not he silently leaned down. Slippers shuffled down the room but they never came close to him so he didn't bother with it any more. He concentrated on remembering what was going to happen to him, where he was, and what happened last night, which was a big blank. The man left the room after a while and no one else had come in or left so it was just Yahiko and the others that seemed to be in the same, if not worse, condition of him.

His head feeling better Yahiko stood up from the futon and took in the full length of the room and everything else inside it. He swayed as he walked down the perfectly even walkways to place his hand over the thin rice paper door. It easily slide open to reveal a plain hallway with not a hint of sound either way so Yahiko makes the decision to search the right side.

Yahiko rounded a corner, down a ways from the door, but his feet didn't land where they were supposed to or something for the first thing he saw after he felt pain in his head was the ceiling. He lay on his back somewhere in the middle of the floor. The bright lights from lanterns danced beautifully before him for wait seemed like hours before receding. He heard some noise at his feet. Then a head popped into his line of vision.

"Oh My! You . . . must be one of them..." The man looked well off, he wore a western style suit that looked expensive, and outlining his mouth was a white-streaked mustache that was counterpart to his peppered hair that was solid white at his temples. He wore a look of consternation on his face that only befuddled Yahiko some more. "Are you okay?"

"Yahiko? Is that you?" The voice sounded shaky and old, a perfect match for the man behind it. The man that Yahiko first saw backed away giving room for the other who touched the back of his hand against Yahiko's head. His bare mouth frowned in consternation.

It didn't calculate in Yahiko's mind that this man knew his name, only that his hands were welcome against his forehead. "Yeah... Its me..."

The men pulled Yahiko over to the wall where they propped him up against the wall so that he would not be on the floor. When they finished they crouched down on either side of Yahiko, each had a hand on his shoulder so that he wouldn't slide back down. They exchanged words and concerned glances. The man in the suit carefully leaned Yahiko to other side then left. The pair was silent for the duration that they were alone.

The man in the suit returned shortly with another man in a workers garb. The new man heft Yahiko onto one of his broad shoulders, then followed behind the man in the suit to the same room that Yahiko had awoken confused in. The man laid Yahiko on his futon, was thanked by both men, and then departed out of the room. Yahiko fell back asleep in the comfortable warm of the futon...

A weight, an immovable weight to the left... another immovable weight to the right... they won't go away... Yahiko's eyes fluttered open, sleep leaving them. Bolting up in the futon he saw, in the dim candle lit, two little forms asleep on either side of him. Yoko was laying on her back, her black hair framing her face. She was clutching his arm in her small arms like a child would a favorite toy. A little drool escaped her parted lips. He eased his arm out of her grasp, then looked to his son. Hideyo was sucking his thumb, his other hand curled around the blanket.

"Ah, your awake now." The soft feminine voice brought his head up from his children's faces. She looked to Yoko and Hideyo. "When they heard that you had waken up they rushed over here, to your side, not wanting to leave until you were awake again. They ate dinner," she motion to two empty bowls, then a third one that was filled with rice and vegetables, "there's some there for you, too, Myojin-san"

Yahiko's stomach growled at mention of food, he wondered when the last time he at was. "Thank you. Dinner? It must be later than that now..."

"It is late, but don't think of that now. You should eat." She brought the bowl of food and chopsticks to Yahiko so that he would not disturb Yoko or Hideyo. As she was retreating to the edges of the bed he noticed twin cranes that pulled her hair into a bun.

He picked up the chopsticks and bowl murmuring a genuine thank filled "thank you," before stuffing his mouth. The food did wonders to his empty stomach, warming him up. He didn't feel the emptiness until it was filled. Soon the food was gone, but he still wanted more. He set the empty bowl with the chopsticks sticking half in, half out, resting his knees.

"I can take that for you, "She added uncomfortably, "if you want," she pointed with her eyes to the plain green bowl in his hands.

Yahiko's hand clenched unconsciously around the bowl, he did not need to be babied. What he did need to know is what had happened. "No, no thank you that won't be necessary."

"Please, I insist! The doctor, I believe that you are familiar with him, Doctor Kotuku, well he said that you needed to recover from the amount of the drug that he put in you." She noticed the confusion in Yahiko's eyes; she tried to explain as quickly as she could, speaking in a rush barely understandable: "You were in a delirious state last night, calling out in your sleep you woke many other patients. They become quite bothered! He needed to deal with you some how, so he decided that some sake might calm you down but it hardly did that! He needed a couple of men to constrain you, he added a little more than sake to what they gave you." She looked at him warily to see if he accepted her reason to help.

He nodded his head, releasing his death grip of the bowl for a loose fitting hold of the blankest covering him. "Thank you." A lit came on in his eyes, "What's your name?"

Her mood lightened as she rested her hand on her cheek in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, how rude of me! My name is just Kikuyu. That is what everyone on here calls me, and so that is what you will. Rest, Myojin-san, until morning."

The bowl was taken from Yahiko by Kikuyu's small, delicate hands before she backed out of the room with as little noise as a dragonfly did over meadows. Yahiko watched sullenly as she left. He had nothing to do. There as no way he could get back to sleep, and besides, he didn't feel the affects from whatever they gave him anymore.

Yahiko untangled himself from the multitude of blanket, and limbs and hopped up to run to Kikuyu-san so that he could at least talk to someone that has a semblance of knowing what is going on. At the doorway he could find no trace of her or anybody else.

"Kikuyu-san!" He whispered loudly both ways. He raised his voice ever so louder, "Kikuyu-san! Where did you go?" He cupped his hands round about his mouth in preparation to ask louder when her head pocked around the corner.

"What? Do you need anything Myojin-san?" Kikuyu came around, with the bowl still in her hands, to stand in front of Yahiko embarrassing for his outburst.

"Ah..."

"Come along with me then," she smiled mischievous; her light tone meant for a child caught red hand trailing mud onto the new tatami.

Yahiko trailed behind, she leading the way in silence to the kitchen. Yahiko tried to take in all that they past but his eyes always trailed back to the woman in front of him. Despite her attempt at a docile demeanor her presence was intimidating even for him, an experienced swordsman.

In the kitchen Kikuyu put the bowl with the pile of other dirty dishes, then she lead him out to the porch. She sat down on the edge leaving room for Yahiko to sit beside her. He sat down, his hands on his knees and his eyes starring dreamily out to the stars and the dragonflies that danced round underneath. They stayed in companionable silence, content to watch the world around them then to disrupt it with undue chatter.

Kikuyu tempted the silence first. "What will," she started out hesitatingly but gathered more momentum as she went on, "now that you wife is no longer here, here with us? How will you go on living?"

Blank eyes stared blankly at her. Yahiko's eyes drew together in a frown, Kikuyu was sorry for asking such a personal question until she was surprised when Yahiko's eyebrows scaled his forehead to his hair line, his eyes wider than any of the children's.

Yahiko's hands found themselves covering his face from the horrors that laced their way into his mind; he could not get the image of his dead wife from out of his head. His shrill sobbing scared away the dragonflies and crickets that nested in the grass and air. Kikuyu heard him strangle a guttural reply to the wound on his heart, "Oh, Kami-sama! Help me!" She could stand to see this pain from him. She did the only thing that she knew to do, she gathered him under her arms, like a child, to give him warmth and comfort. She rubbed his back motherly all the while rocking back and forth.

"It's alright, it's okay," Kikuyu told him, "Let it all out." She hugged him closer knowing all too well how much it hurts to loose the one person to whom you have strived to give your all to, to have them pass by in less than an hour. One of his arms coiled around her for support the other still stuck to stifling his sea of pains. Kikuyu pulled him closer. "I'm so sorry... so sorry!" She continued rocking even after his sobbing and shacking had receded, even after it was late in the night and the crickets and all other bugs returned to their nightly serenades.

Yahiko pulled away suddenly, a little more than embarrassed for crying as he did, his blood shot eyes silently thanked Kikuyu as his voice was hoarse. He pulled himself together, stilling his shoulders from shaking now that they left the shelter that she had given him. Sighing he turned back to her with a smile all too well known by him, "thank you, thank you. I-" his voice broke into a quiver, he had to pause and start again. "I don't know what I would have done if... if you hadn't have been there for me when... when..."

"I understand. It's late, we should both get some rest." Yahiko noticed as she stood up to leave, the wet gleam in her eyes that betrayed her strength and courage. She had been crying along side him.

_tbc..._


End file.
